The present invention generally relates to a film dressing for wounds and/or intravenous catheter sites as well as a method for applying such a dressing and a process for making the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a film dressing having a substantially clear top layer. The clear top layer may be a moisture vapor semi-permeable film. The moisture vapor semi-permeable film may be coated with an adhesive and may cover a window cut out of an adhesive semi-permeable tape border. The border may have a hydrocolloid silver adhesive. The dressing may further have removal liners for protection of the dressing and for use in the application of the dressing to a patient. The dressing of the present invention may be placed in a pouch and may be sterilized for use on a patient.
It is, of course, generally known to use transparent film dressings for the treatment and/or covering of wounds or intravenous catheter sites. Wound dressings that are adhered to human skin by pressure-sensitive adhesive have been known for many years. Such dressings are generally in the form of a sheet of film, foam, fabric or combination thereof. Known sheets have a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for adhering the dressing to skin adjacent to the wound to secure the dressing in place. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may be configured to adhere to the skin surrounding the wound or to portions of skin surrounding the wound. In many dressings, the adhesive layer is substantially coextensive with the dressing and thus extends over the wound itself. In such dressings, the adhesives are intended to adhere to healthy skin outside the wound but not to the wound itself. Adhesives often do not adhere to or around the wounds due to inherent moisture associated with the wounds.
A further problem associated with these dressings includes adhesive oozing into score lines of casting sheets and/or score lines of the film, foam, or fabric sheet. For example, when applying a film dressing with score lines, after a scored portion of a layer is removed, adhesive may ooze into the score line. Another problem associated with these dressings includes keeping the wound clean and/or protected from bacteria or other harmful environmental conditions. Yet another problem associated with these dressings includes the difficult use and/or application of the dressing to the body. For example, when using a film dressing, the layers of the film dressing may wrinkle or stick together making the dressing difficult to apply.
A need, therefore, exists for a film dressing for wounds and/or intravenous catheter sites and a method for applying such a dressing and a process for making the same that is easy to use and protects the wound from exposure to harmful environmental conditions, such as bacteria or the like.